


Galaxy's Edge

by fictionalinfinity



Series: A Great Big Universe [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Episode: s03e15 Overlords, Episode: s03e16 Altar of Mortis, Episode: s03e17 Ghosts of Mortis, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker time travels, Post-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Redemption, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:55:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22975135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictionalinfinity/pseuds/fictionalinfinity
Summary: After the duel on Bespin, Luke is more determined than ever to save his father. As he returns from a scouting mission, Luke is granted a unique opportunity by the Force to travel back in time and learn the truth about his father. And maybe, just maybe, Luke can prevent Anakin's fall.The thing is, there's a strange trio of beings who seem to all want his father for their own purposes. Oh, and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka don't seem to trust him all that much. What's a time-traveling Jedi to do?
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker, Luke Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Luke Skywalker
Series: A Great Big Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707364
Comments: 101
Kudos: 469





	1. Lightning Strike

**Author's Note:**

> AHHHH I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS AU!!!
> 
> anyway,,, you may proceed.

Luke Skywalker was never one to turn down the opportunity to fly. The exhilaration he felt as he soared through the vacuum of space was unlike any other. The serene calm he associated with the mottled view of stars in hyperspace could not be found elsewhere. 

He supposed it might have something to do with the fact that he grew up on Tatooine. The deserts that stretched on for miles never provided quite the adventure he was looking for, and so when he finally left it behind he was eager to stretch his wings and see where it took him. The stars provided that escape, satisfied his need to look beyond, to  _ do  _ something with his life. 

That, and well… Ben had said his father was the best pilot he ever knew. If that were true, wouldn’t it mean that Anakin had loved it there too? It was here in the stars that Luke felt closest to his father, the vastness of it all somehow bringing them together.

The thought made him uneasy for a moment, reminding him of Darth Vader, but he forced the feeling down. Darth Vader was not his father, no matter what tales the Sith Lord tried to spin. Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, renowned star fighter pilot,  _ hero _ , was his father. And he’d just gotten a little lost, that was all. 

Luke was sure that his father still existed. Darth Vader had just buried him, but that didn’t mean that Luke couldn’t still reach him. He  _ had _ to. 

Luke refocused his attention on the view of stars outside of his cockpit. Their faithful glow reminded him he wasn’t alone, and that there was still good out there. Somewhere. 

Unfortunately, there hadn’t been any good on the planet Luke had just scouted.The Alliance had sent him out in search of a new base, since their headquarters on Hoth had been thoroughly beaten a few months prior, but the territories he’d seen were crawling with Empire goons. No good base locations there, he was afraid. 

When his mission had proved a failure, Luke quickly set his hyperspace coordinates for the rebel flagship,  _ Home One. _ A quick glance at his controls told him he was rapidly approaching his destination. 

_ 3… 2… 1… _

Luke sighed as his ship reverted out of hyperspace, but his comfort didn’t last long. Almost immediately, the Force sent him a warning. 

Alert, Luke glanced around frantically, wondering where the blasted ship had gone.  _ Home One _ was nowhere in sight, but Leia had promised they weren’t going anywhere while he was away. Had something happened in the short time he’d been gone?

Luke’s heart skipped a dangerous beat. Had Vader found them? 

He quickly commed Leia, allowing himself to relax for the fraction of a second when she answered almost immediately. 

“Oh, Leia, thank goodness! Are you alright? Where are you?” 

Leia frowned a little. “I’m still onboard  _ Home One. _ Why? What’s wrong, Luke?”

The princess didn’t offer any explanation beyond that, making Luke wonder if maybe he’d overreacted and that he’d simply punched in the wrong coordinates. It was unlikely, but without R2 there to check, it was plausible. Maybe that was all that had happened… 

“Really? Nothing’s happened? I arrived at the coordinates you gave me, but I don’t see the fleet. I was worried you’d been attacked,” Luke explained, and Leia paused thoughtfully. 

“We’re fine, Luke. What are your coordinates, exactly?”

Luke read them off, and Leia’s frown only deepened. 

“That’s odd. Those are the right coordinates, but I don’t see you. Hmm,” she said, and her hologram flickered for a moment. Luke brushed it off, thinking nothing of it. 

“Leia, something about this feels wrong-” Luke cut himself off, suddenly groaning at an uncomfortable tug in his gut. 

“Luke? Luke!”

“Leia…” He moaned, grabbing his head as daggers shot through it. 

“-uke! L-ke, hol-”

The transmission flickered for a few more moments before cutting off abruptly, but Luke hardly noticed it, too entranced by the sight of a pyramid like structure suddenly floating in space and the fact that his ship was being pulled towards it. The last thing he felt was a terrible sense of foreboding in the force as everything went horribly bright. 

Sunlight filtered into his ship through the viewport as Luke slowly came back to awareness. He blinked a few times, surprised. 

Where was he? Luke hadn’t been anywhere near a planet, nor had he been awake to navigate and land. R2 might’ve, but he’d left the astromech back on  _ Home One. _ The force practically vibrated around him. Maybe that had something to do with it. 

Luke shook off the odd feeling and attempted to fire up his X-Wing. He did everything right, he was  _ sure _ of it, checking all of his ships systems and making sure his hyperdrive was still functional. Nothing was amiss, except for the fact that his fighter wouldn’t take off. 

After a few more failed attempts Luke huffed in frustration and popped the hatch off of his X-Wing and decided to explore and find some sentient life forms to help him. 

A quick once over of the field he’d landed in proved useful. Luke spotted a ship that he’d failed to notice earlier, sitting peacefully. The model was a strange one. It looked almost imperial, but something about that description didn’t sit right with him. It was older than the Empire. Perhaps… Republic? 

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the Force sang. Ah, so it was from the Republic? If so, then what was it doing all the way out here, parked next to him?

Before Luke could do anything else, the ship’s ramp began to lower. Luke tensed, his hand going for his lightsaber only to come up empty.  _ Blast it _ , he thought. He’d lost the damn thing on Bespin along with his hand, a fact which he frequently seemed to forget. Instead, he grabbed a blaster off of his belt and let the Force flow through him, just as Ben had taught him. 

A young Togruta emerged first, followed by two men in strange robes. Luke was shocked to notice the hilts of lightsabers on their belts.  _ Jedi? _ Luke thought, and then his mind led to the more dangerous but likely option.  _ Sith. _

The man with a scar running over his eye caught sight of Luke before using the Force to call his lightsaber to his hand and activated it. 

“Identify yourself!” The man ordered, holding the blue blade threateningly. Luke gulped, catching sight of the hilt which eerily resembled his father’s saber. 

“I’m…” Luke began, feeling a prompting of the Force, much more potent than any he’d ever felt before. Something about this place…

“I’m Luke, just Luke,” he finished, holding his last name back as he’d felt the Force warn him to. Not that he had any objections, of course. One could never be too careful with strangers, especially with the…  _ weight _ his name held. Imperials were eager to catch the man who’d destroyed the Death Star. Luke had learned that an extra bit of caution could go a long way.

“Did  _ you _ bring us here?” The same man growled, leveling the blade at Luke’s throat. Luke held himself still as the blue light danced just out of his line of sight. Just who  _ were _ these people? That man carried a light colored blade, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t Sith. The lightsaber could’ve been stolen. 

Once more, Luke regretted the fight on Bespin. He could’ve used his lightsaber just about now. 

“I didn’t do anything, I swear,” Luke promised. “I just woke up here, my ship was pulled in,” he continued, not bothering to hide the tremor of fear. One wrong move and this man could kill him. 

“And what if I don’t believe you, huh?” The man prodded, staring him down. 

“Master?” The young togruta asked, looking at the man with a hint of trepidation. “I don’t think he’s lying. I sense… truth in his words.” For a moment, she spared a glance and their eyes met. The corner of Luke’s mouth quirked up. He’d have to thank her for that later if he made it out alive. 

“Ahsoka’s right, Anakin. I sense it too,” the second man said, placing a calming hand on Anakin’s shoulder. 

Luke flinched at the mention of the name. That had been his  _ father’s _ name too, once. 

Anakin sighed, deactivating the blade. The second man raised an eyebrow expectantly. Anakin looked a little unbelieving at the gesture, before the man did it again. Anakin grunted, turning to face Luke.

“I’m…  _ sorry. _ It would seem we’re both stuck here,” Anakin attempted to apologize, but it sounded unwilling. Luke could have laughed at the ridiculousness of the exchange that had just transpired before him if he wasn’t still shaken by being on the receiving end of this man’s anger. 

“Wow, Skyguy! I don’t know if I’ve ever heard you apologize before. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” The togruta (Ahsoka, was it?) teased.

“Can it, Snips,” Anakin shot back, but there was a twinkle in his eye that hadn’t been there before. 

“I suppose if we’re stranded together, introductions are in order. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this here is Anakin Skywalker and his padawan, Ahsoka Tano,” Obi-Wan smiled, gesturing to himself and then the bickering pair. 

Luke stared incredulously for a moment as doubt crept in. Who were these fools, parading around as his mentor and  _ father _ of all people? If Darth Vader were here, Luke doubted he would’ve let this impersonator walk away with his life. 

But as soon as the thought entered his head, the Force rebelled against it. 

They were telling the  _ truth? _

Luke gaped for a moment before finally stammering out a response. “But… but  _ how?” _

“Ah, so you’ve heard of us, then? Figures you’d be a fan,” Anakin laughed, but it sounded almost bitter. 

“Don’t worry, they aren’t nearly as awe-inspiring once you get to know them,” Ahsoka winked. 

The conversation going on around him went in one ear and out the other as Luke tried to work out what this all meant. Had he traveled through time? Had they?

Before he could follow that train of thought any further, Ahsoka called out to get everyone’s attention.

“Hey! I saw something. A reflection, up on the hill,” she pointed, and everyone’s head swivelled in that direction.

Obi-Wan revealed a pair of binoculars and looked over the area himself. “I don’t see anything,” he frowned. 

Luke allowed his eyes to scan the terrain for the first time. Wherever they were, it was vast. Chunks of rock were scattered throughout the sky, unaffected by the pull of gravity. Lush vegetation covered almost every surface. 

_ Are you the One? _

_ Is he the One? _

The same voice spoke the two questions simultaneously. Luke whirled around to search for the source of it at the same time as Anakin spoke. However, Luke had a feeling he had been the only one to hear the second question. It felt directed towards  _ him. _

“What the… What? Uh… Did you hear that?” Anakin asked.

“I did,” Luke replied quietly, unsettled by the voice. Anakin glanced at him with a strange look before turning to Obi-Wan.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Obi-Wan replied, but didn’t seem too phased by the fact that Luke and Anakin wear hearing strange noises.

_ “Are you the One?” _ The strange voice asked, but left the second question out. This time, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka seemed to hear it. 

“Hello,” Obi-Wan greeted humorously, caught off guard by the woman’s odd appearance. 

“Who are you?” Anakin asked in lieu of a greeting. 

_ “I am Daughter,” _ the ethereal woman introduced herself, her vibrant green hair flowing behind her despite the lack of wind. Her entire form seemed to shine with power and strength. Luke raised an eyebrow but remained silent. 

_ “Are you the One?” _ Daughter asked again. 

“Uh… the One, what?” Anakin asked in return, rolling his eyes. 

_ “I will take you to Him,” _ Daughter said instead, ignoring the query. 

Luke frowned, noting the echo of power behind her voice. It reminded him of how Ben sounded whenever he spoke to him as an entity of the Force. Was this woman a Force ghost in the same way Ben was?

“Him, who?” Ahsoka asked, leaning forward.

“Uh, did you bring us here?” Obi-Wan followed, stepping up beside the togruta. Both sounded accusatory in their questions. 

Luke didn’t sense any ill will from the young woman. He was surprised that the well trained Jedi were unable to feel the same. 

_ “Only He can help you,” _ the Daughter replied uselessly.  _ “There is little time. Follow me,” _ she ordered.  _ “We must have shelter by nightfall.” _

The Daughter turned and began walking in the opposite direction, expecting them to follow her. Luke recognized the fact that she likely understood the danger they were in if they didn’t find shelter, but he didn’t want to leave his father if Anakin was unwilling to follow her. 

Anakin spun around to face them. “And we thought the planet was strange. How about this one?” He grimaced, throwing a quick look over his shoulder at the ethereal woman. 

Despite himself, Luke laughed. It seemed his father had a sense of humour after all, although he doubted he would ever hear such sentiments from Vader. 

Anakin glanced over at Luke and his lips quirked into a semi-smile, as if they’d just shared an inside joke. Although it probably meant nothing to the elder Jedi, Luke’s breath caught in his throat. How long had he longed for an intimate moment like this with his father? How long had he desired to just have a normal conversation with him?

It almost felt too good to be true. Luke feared he would blink and open his eyes to find himself stranded in space just as he’d been earlier, utterly alone. 

“We’ll be fine as long as we stay together,” Obi-Wan assured his friends. “You’d best stick with us, young man,” Obi-Wan continued, this time addressing Luke. 

“Y-Yes, Sir,” Luke stuttered, caught off guard at how much he sounded like the old hermit he’d once known. 

Ahsoka smiled a little at his little stumble, but no one else said anything about it as they set off after the Daughter. 

As they walked, Luke began to pick up on the strange behavior of the world around them. On Tatooine, things didn’t often change, so Luke had been forced to learn to notice the little things. It had helped him during his training, and it helped him now. He was able to spot the changing color of the leaves and grass before anyone else, and quickly noticed the shift in temperature. 

“Uh… Is anyone else seeing this? This shouldn’t be possible,” Luke piped up, gesturing to the world around them. 

“My thoughts exactly, young one,” Obi-Wan frowned. 

“Yeah,” Anakin agreed, his eyebrows furrowing. 

“And there are no animals!” Ahsoka announced, and Luke thought about it for a second before realizing that she was right. He hadn’t spotted any other creatures, not even a small insect that one might expect to find in the almost jungle like vegetation around them. Luke had been plagued by those little pests during his short time on the rebel base on Yavin, so he’d familiarized himself with the signs quite quickly. 

“And you sense it?” Obi-Wan asked Anakin pointedly. Luke glanced at his father, noticing the way his frown deepened. 

“Mmhmm, since we arrived,” Anakin replied. “The Force is very strong.”

“An intersection unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Be wary,” Obi-Wan warned. 

Luke frowned, unsettled by the comment. “I agree that the Force is strong here, but… I see no reason to be wary. The Force here feels peaceful, somehow. Kinder, even.”

Anakin’s head snapped towards him. “You’re trained in the ways of the Force?” He asked, his eyebrows rising ever higher. 

“How can that be? I’ve never seen him at the temple before,” Ahsoka pointed out, sounding shocked.

“Why does that matter? Surely it makes me no less a Jedi,” Luke defended, curious as to why they were so appalled they’d never seen him at the temple before. Of course, the temple didn’t exist in his time, but they didn’t need to know that, did they?

“You’re a rogue? Who trained you?  _ When?” _ Obi-Wan pressed. 

Not feeling anything from the Force that said otherwise, Luke decided to answer truthfully. Well, at least partially truthful. 

“I was trained by an old Jedi master on Tatooine. He decided it was necessary when I was nineteen, after my aunt and uncle had been killed.”

The others did not react well to this, however. Ben and his father looked as if they might be sick from shock, while Ahsoka looked between the two men worriedly. Luke sensed confusion rolling off of the young togruta, but not nearly as much as the others. 

“You began training at age  _ nineteen? _ On Tatooine?!” Anakin demanded, grabbing the young man by the shoulders. 

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan scolded, but made no move to intervene. Luke noticed the Daughter had stopped walking and was now watching the exchange with interest. 

“Uh, yes? Is there something wrong with that?” Luke asked, unsettled by the look in Anakin’s eyes. 

“If a Jedi master trained you, surely they were aware of the rules? Only younglings are brought into the Order for training. The Council barely even allowed me to be trained at age nine!” Anakin ranted. 

“I’ve never heard of such a rule,” Luke shrugged, and Anakin’s hands dropped to his sides. This information would not leave him as easily, however. His father had almost not become a Jedi? That was bewildering. Ben had claimed that Anakin was one of the greatest Jedi he knew, surely they would have trained him no matter what if he was truly that strong? 

“And who exactly was it that trained you? You claim he was a  _ Jedi?” _ Obi-Wan asked, his hand rising to hold his chin thoughtfully. 

“Yes. We all called him Ben,” Luke answered honestly. Obi-Wan’s eyes narrowed at the phrasing, understanding what it implied. And Obi-Wan was right to suspect, but it wasn’t as if Luke could tell the man that  _ he _ had been the one to tell Luke about the Force and train him. 

“Why did he train  _ you? _ If he knew you growing up, why not bring you before the council? He sounds more like a Sith than a Jedi to me,” Ahsoka questioned, arms crossed in front of her chest. 

“Ben was a good man!” Luke snapped. “He did the best he could considering the circumstances surrounding my childhood! And besides, it only made sense that I be trained. My  _ father _ was a Jedi,” Luke defended, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. The thought of someone calling Ben a Sith greatly distressed him. 

In unison, the three Jedi all exclaimed,  _ “What?!”  _ before clamoring to speak over each other and try to get answers. 

“Who was your father?!”

“Did he also live on Tatooine?”

“Which Jedi broke the Code?! When?”

“Why wouldn’t your  _ father _ bring you to the Council?”

“Who was your mother?”

“How come none of you have approached the Jedi after all this time?!”

_ “Enough!” _ The Daughter ordered, finally stepping in.  _ “I have allowed you some time to seek answers, but now we must continue onward if we are to reach Him in time.” _ Without waiting for a response, she turned and resumed the walk. 

Anakin and the others looked back at Luke like they wanted to protest and keep the interrogation going, but they reluctantly jogged after the Daughter. None of them were too eager to lose the only person who knew their way around this planet. 

“Uh, excuse me!” Anakin called after her. “Who are you taking us to?”

_ “The Father, of course,” _ the Daughter answered, sparing a glance at him over her shoulder. 

“Of course!” Ahsoka added, smirking. Luke chuckled. Despite some of her accusations about Ben earlier, Luke was beginning to like her. 

Obi-Wan ignored the little comment. “And what, exactly, are you?” 

_ “We are the ones who guard the Power. We are the beginning, the middle, the end.” _ The Daughter explained. Luke couldn’t help but notice how every answer she gave seemed to only inspire more questions. He missed Leia, and her no-nonsense, straight to the point attitude. The Princess wouldn’t have been able to stand this woman. 

Luke spared a smile at the thought of Leia. He hoped she was alright, and that she wasn’t too worried about him. 

“Glad she cleared that up for us,” Anakin stated sarcastically, recalling Luke’s attention. As they continued walking on, Luke noticed the season beginning to shift more drastically. It was strange, to say the least. 

“Hey! Look out!” His father shouted, the first to notice the sudden rockfall above them. Anakin came barrelling towards Luke and the Daughter, shoving them out of the way.

Luke landed roughly on the stone, groaning as he felt the air knocked out of him. Rubbing his head, he sat up to look around at the damage. 

They’d been effectively cut off from Ahsoka and Obi-Wan.

_ “It is forbidden for you to touch me!” _ Luke heard the Daughter snap at Anakin behind him. Slowly, he climbed to his feet to look at them. 

“Sorry, I was just saving your life!” Anakin drawled, gesturing to a pile of rocks that surely would’ve crushed them.

“Well, I owe you my thanks!” Luke spoke as he dusted off his tunic. If the Daughter wouldn’t acknowledge what Anakin had done for them, then Luke  _ would.  _

Anakin nodded in acknowledgement, before the Daughter explained that the rock fall had been her brother’s work, and ordered them to stay put. Despite only having known Anakin for about an hour, Luke doubted his father was about to listen to that. 

“Anakin? Are you there?” Obi-Wan hailed him over the comm. Luke sighed, relieved to know that the pair were alright on the other side of the rocks. 

“Yeah, but our friend here has run off!” Anakin answered, expressing his frustration as he called after the Daughter. “Go back to the ship and try sending another distress call,” he suggested. “I’ll follow her and find out how to get off this rock.”

“And if this is a trap?” Obi-Wan asked in reply. 

“Then I’m not gonna wait around to find out!” Anakin answered before ending the transmission and taking off in the opposite direction. 

“Hey! Wait a minute!” Luke called after him, running to catch up after his father. If it was even possible, Anakin moved faster than Vader, a man with specially engineered prosthetics to make his movements quick and deadly. Still, Luke did his best to keep up. 

Anakin spun around looking surprised, as if he’d forgotten Luke was there entirely. Then, he frowned. “You can’t stop me, Luke. Go back and see if you can rejoin Obi-Wan and Ahsoka! It’s safer there.”

“What?! No! I’m not here to stop you. I want to go with you!” Luke explained. He noticed how Anakin immediately looked wary. “Look, I’ve been trained as a Jedi. I can defend myself. Let me come with you!” Luke pushed, smiling when Anakin finally nodded. 

“Just… don’t get in the way, alright? And if things get bad, you run,” his father acquiesced, on conditions. 

“I’ve fought a Sith lord before, what could be worse than that?” Luke teased, trying to keep his voice light. He couldn’t help the involuntary shiver that traveled down his spine, however, at the thought of his fight with Darth Vader. 

At the admission, Anakin looked like he wanted to ask  _ many _ more questions. The knowledge that the Daughter would soon be out of their reach if he waited much longer, however, forced him onwards. Luke was glad. He found he didn’t want to be answered questions of  _ that _ nature. 

As they ran after the Daughter, the afternoon sun quickly turned to dusk, which was soon followed by nightfall. If not for the luminescent foliage (which, okay, that was weird, right? What was  _ up _ with this planet?), Luke feared he wouldn’t have been able to see. 

The weather turned violent not long after nightfall, and Luke understood why the Daughter had been so anxious to find shelter. Lightning littered the sky, and wherever it struck, deadly sparks followed. 

The terrain rose sharply. Both Luke and Anakin used the Force to aid their climb, jumping and vaulting higher than what was normally possible. Luke was reminded of jumping through the treetops on Dagobah with Master Yoda. What had once seemed menial then now proved a great help. 

As they crested the hill, Anakin came to a standstill. Luke followed suit, observing the eery tower in the distance. He sensed immediately that whatever was making the Force act so strangely was converging there. 

“Whatever we’re looking for is in that monastery,” Anakin decided before taking off again, Luke right behind him. 

When they reached the monastery, Luke was struck by just how large it was. Strange blue light with no clear power source lit long pathways above a seemingly bottomless pit filled with fog. In the center of it all was a grand throne, with an odd looking man sitting atop it. It certainly was  _ some _ throne room. 

Together, Luke and his father approached the man, who showed no sign of having noticed their presence. At least, not until Luke and Anakin took a seat in front of him and his eyes opened wide. 

_ “Welcome, my friends,” _ the man said, his voice filled with the same ethereal power that the Daughter possessed. Was this the Father that she had referenced only a few hours ago?

“What is it that you want from me?” Anakin asked, clearly unnerved. 

_ “To learn the truth about who you really are,” _ the man answered and then stood before continuing,  _ “one that you have maybe known all along! One you must believe in order to fulfill your destiny.” _

Anakin stood to meet him, and Luke did so as well, not one to be left out. 

“Enough with the riddles, old man. Tell me what’s going on here!” Anakin ordered, before his gaze turned to Luke. “I understand why Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were brought here, but why  _ him? _ What is he to all of this?”

Luke did his best not to look offended. It was, after all, a fair question. To Anakin, Luke’s presence made about as much sense as if a porg had tagged along. It was intriguing, but relatively useless. 

Then, the man’s gaze settled on Luke. A cold shudder went through him as the man practically stared into his soul. 

_ “Ah, the boy out of time. You understand the connection you bear, do you not?” _ The man smiled. 

Anakin stared at Luke expectantly, his eyebrows having risen a great deal. 

“I-I believe so, but I’m not quite sure of my purpose. Did you bring me here to learn how…  _ it _ happens?” Luke frowned, unsure of what to think. It was the first moment he’d been allowed the chance to ponder it, so he made an attempt to guess. 

_ “I would say that is indeed a part of it, young man. However, you are an enigma. It was not my intention to call you, but if you are here, then it must be of the will of the Force. Your time here is whatever you make of it,” _ the man explained, but Luke found the answer left him even more unsure than before. 

Could he… could he  _ change _ what happened to his father? Somewhere, deep inside of him, Luke knew the answer was yes. 

Then, shouldn't Luke tell his father who he truly was?

_ No, Luke, _ a voice told him. Luke frowned, before recognizing it as belonging to Ben.  _ His _ Ben.

_ And why not? _ Luke asked in reply. 

_ It is not the will of the Force that he learn now. When the time comes, you will know.  _

Luke felt the connection sever after the answer, so he didn’t waste his time trying to call after Ben. Anakin and the older man were still looking at him, now with concern, so Luke quickly assured him he was alright. 

_ “It is late,” _ the man announced.  _ “You will both be my guests tonight.” _

After being led to a room where he could find rest, Luke let his head fall onto the pillow so he could finally be alone with his thoughts and sleep. 

How was any of this real? How was it possible that Luke was in the past, over twenty years ago? How was it that he was meeting his own  _ father? _ Not Darth Vader, not some pilot of a spice freighter that Owen had tried to convince him, but Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight,  _ hero. _

As these thoughts filled his mind, Luke barely even noticed as he drifted off to sleep. 

_ Kooh… _

_ Kush… _

_ Kooh… _

_ Kush… _

Luke’s eyes blew wide open at that familiar sound. He fumbled for his lightsaber, only to remember a moment later that he was no longer in possession of it. 

_ Kooh… _

_ Kush… _

Giving in to the inevitable, Luke stood up and turned around to face his father. 

There, in all of his terrifying glory, stood the hulking monster of Darth Vader. 

“Son,” Vader greeted, and Luke was struck by how different this man’s voice sounded to Anakin’s. Now that he heard both, it was impossible not to notice. 

“Father,” Luke greeted in turn, his eyes never leaving where he knew Vader’s own eyes to be, behind that terrible truth. 

“So you have accepted the truth, then? I am glad,” Vader affirmed, and Luke could almost picture his father’s smile.

“I have accepted that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father,” Luke agreed, bracing himself for Darth Vader’s anger. 

Nothing came. 

Vader took a step forward and Luke barely repressed a flinch as he set a gloved hand atop his shoulder. 

There was silence between them for a few moments, save for the mechanical sound of Vader’s breath. And then…

“Help me, my son.”

Luke felt his jaw drop, completely out of his control.  _ “What?!” _

“Help me become Anakin Skywalker once more. Save me, Luke, I’m begging you.”

Luke was frozen for a few moments, but when the Force screamed that this was the truth, he found himself able to move again. 

“Tell me how, Father! I’ll do anything!” Luke found himself suddenly overcome with emotion, and his eyes welled with tears.  _ His father wanted to come home, at last.  _

“Guide me, Luke. Don’t let me fall. I believe in you, my son, and I love you.”

“I… I love you too, Father,” Luke responded, but his father was already gone. 

The sound of lightning exploding outside of his window sent Luke shooting out of bed, and only then did he realize he’d never been awake. 

The Force told him that it did not make it any less real.

He gasped for breath, thinking about the visitor he’d just had. 

His father had asked for help. 

Luke would be damned if he didn’t try. 

_ Well, here goes nothing.  _


	2. Visions of the Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan and Ahsoka receive an incriminating vision. Meanwhile, Anakin and Luke interrogate the Father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> may i just say, i am absolutely blown away by the wonderful response this fic has received! thank you so much to everyone for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting. 
> 
> i've finally decided how i'm going to outline this book. it will be six chapters, two for each episode of the mortis arc. after that, there will be a sequel! i'm very excited to see it all come together. 
> 
> apologies if this chapter feels a little clunky. it was a bit harder to place luke in these events than it was last chapter, but not to worry! luke will play a large part next chapter. i have many things in store for that poor child ;)

“Ahsoka?” Obi-Wan asked, pulling her from sleep. Ahsoka gasped, still in shock from the vision she’d just had. At Obi-Wan’s questioning look, she finally spoke. 

“I had a vision. I think Anakin’s in trouble.”

_ Kooh… _

_ Kush… _

_ Kooh… _

_ Kush… _

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka snapped to their feet, turning to face the new intruder. She searched the cave for a moment before settling on… was that  _ Luke? _

“What-?” Obi-Wan began, before a second figure appeared, this one unfamiliar to them. 

The second man was the source of the strange breathing sounds. Ahsoka noticed with unease just how tall and menacing he was. He wore a dark helmet resembling a skull, and some of the technology on his suit appeared to be for life support. 

“Luke! What’s going on?!” Ahsoka called out to the young man. Luke did not even seem to hear her.

“Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan said, his voice tense. “He cannot hear you. I believe this to be another vision.” She nodded. That made sense, somehow. She could feel how the Force echoed around them. 

Luke was cowering on the floor, desperately scrambling away from the dark man (Sith?) threatening him with a red saber. 

“You are beaten. It is useless to resist,” the man warned. “Don’t let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did.”

“Master?” Ahsoka frowned. “Do you know this man?”

“I most certainly do  _ not,” _ Obi-Wan replied firmly. “What in the blazes was Luke doing confronting him?”

Suddenly, Luke stood up and swung his saber at the Sith. A short duel ensued, and Luke even managed to land a hit on the man’s shoulder, but he was clearly no match for the Sith. Luke was quickly beaten, and let out a piercing scream as he lost his hand. Ahsoka’s hand flew to her mouth. How was Luke not  _ dead _ already? It was clear by the fight she’d just witnessed that he had barely any training. 

“There is no escape. Don’t make me destroy you,” the Sith began as Luke tried to inch away from him. “Luke, you do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power! Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict, and bring order to the galaxy.”

“I’ll never join you!” Luke growled, and Ahsoka found herself feeling proud of the young man. It took a lot of strength to stand up to a Sith lord. 

“If you only knew the power of the dark side!” The dark lord crowed. “Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.”

And there it was again. Why did he keep mentioning Obi-Wan? They’d never met either of these men before today. Was it possible that this was a vision of the future, not the past?

“He told me enough!” Luke snapped. “He told me you killed him.”

“No,  _ I _ am your father.”

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan both reeled. Luke, the son of a Sith lord? 

“No. No, that’s not true! That’s impossible!”

“Search your feelings! You  _ know _ it to be true!” 

As Luke screamed in anguish, Ahsoka sensed the truth in the words, and her entire being filled with a sense of horror. Obi-Wan seemed frozen as he watched the exchange, and Ahsoka could not even begin to imagine what he was thinking. Blast, what would  _ Anakin _ think when they told him?

“Luke, you can destroy the Emperor! He has foreseen this! It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son!”

Before they could see how Luke would react to the offer, the vision abruptly faded and Ahsoka released a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. 

Obi-Wan was quick to move, making a break for the exit. “We’ve got to warn Anakin. If Luke sided with the Sith, there’s no telling what he could do!”

Ahsoka didn’t hesitate, running after Obi-Wan. He was right. Her master could be in danger. 

-

Luke watched anxiously as Anakin confronted the Father. He’d sensed his father’s distress mere moments after waking from his vision and followed it, only for it to lead him here. To see Anakin angrily level his lightsaber at the Father’s throat. 

_ “Cannot sleep? To strike an unarmed man is hardly the Jedi way,” _ the Father intoned, not even opening his eyes. Luke had to agree. It was the second unarmed man his father had threatened that day! Although he shouldn’t have been surprised. Darth Vader couldn’t have come out of nowhere after all. 

“You’re a Sith lord!” Anakin declared. This  _ did _ surprise Luke. The Father was the farthest thing from a Sith lord, if Vader was anything to go by. The strange man almost reminded him of old Ben Kenobi in a way. He didn’t feel dark or corrupted. 

_ “You have a very simple view of the universe. I am neither Sith nor Jedi. I am much more, and so are you,” _ the Father said, finally opening his eyes.  _ Neither Sith nor Jedi? _ That didn’t make sense! On second thought, maybe this man wasn’t all that similar to old Ben. Ben wouldn’t have liked this man. 

Anakin did not like this answer either. “I see through your spells and visions, old man-”

Luke was caught off guard by the mentions of visions. “You had a vision too?” He asked, turning his wide eyes to meet Anakin’s. Anakin frowned and drew in on himself, nodding. 

“A most especially cruel one, yes,” his father replied. “Why plague us both like this? Tell me what is going on here!” Anakin ordered as he moved forward, returning his focus to the Father. Luke found himself wishing to know what Anakin had seen, if it had anything to do with the vision Luke had. 

Luke gasped as the Father took hold of Anakin’s blade and simply moved it away like it was nothing. He knew from experience just how painful a lightsaber could be, so how in the Corellian hells was this man not screaming? Anakin appeared to be just as shocked. 

_ “Some call us Force-wielders,” _ the Father answered, rising to his full height. He forced the blue blade back into its hilt and Luke watched, flabbergasted. Anakin was horrified. 

“The Jedi have never spoken of this,” his father said testily. 

_ “Hmm. Few still know of our existence.” _

Pointing in the direction of the rooms they’d been given, Anakin spoke again. “In that room, my mother came to me, but it was not her. It was something else,” he spat out, sounding almost violated. 

Luke stood frozen for a moment. He’d seen Luke’s grandmother, Shmi? His mind flashed back to the grave he’d often visited as a young boy, desperate for a sense of family and a connection to his father. Luke had been a different person the last time he’d thought of his grandmother. 

“And I saw my father, but it felt real. It felt  _ so _ real,” Luke added, desperate for the Father to confirm that what he’d seen had been real. That his father really did want saving, to be Anakin Skywalker again. 

The Father frowned thoughtfully for a moment before answering. 

_ “I believe what you saw to have been truly of the Force, Luke. Yours, however, was my son, I suspect,” _ the Father said, addressing the latter half towards Anakin, but Luke had almost stopped paying attention. His heart was soaring at the news.  _ “We can take many forms. The shapes we embody are merely a reflection of the life force around us. You carry a great sadness in your heart. My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other. Therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as anchorites.” _

“As a sanctuary?” Anakin asked, sounding unsure. 

_ “And a prison. You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children and realize that they could tear the very fabric of our universe,” _ the Father answered. 

The Father was wrong. Luke knew that to be true. If what Darth Vader had told him was true, then Luke really was powerful enough to destroy the Emperor. One day, Anakin would understand this man’s feelings. Luke just wished it was for the right reasons.

“I don't understand,” Anakin frowned, and Luke agreed. Why did they need to be separated from reality?

_ “It is only here that I can control them. A family in balance. The light and the dark. Day with night. Destruction replaced by creation,” _ the Father attempted to explain, walking away from the pair of them. 

Anakin grew ever more frustrated and confused. “Then why reveal yourselves to us?”

Luke was growing rather frustrated too, and decided he could be silent no longer. 

“What is so important about  _ this _ moment in time? Why are we all here, now? The Force could’ve taken me anywhere, but it chose this place. What’s really going on here?” Luke demanded.

Anakin whirled on him this time. “What do you know? You speak as if you know something I don’t!” He growled. “If you’re keeping things from me…”

“I’m just as confused as you are, trust me,” Luke placated. “I may have some idea about why I’m here  _ with _ you, but I have no clue as to why you were brought here in the first place. I’m not the one you should be questioning,” he defended, pointing towards the Father. 

Anakin looked frustrated but didn’t press Luke any further at the moment. Instead, they both looked expectantly at the Father. The Father looked to be growing weary of their bickering. 

_ “My children and I are powerful beings, and there are some who would wish to exploit us. The sith are but one. Too much dark or light would be the undoing of life as you understand it. When news reached me that the Chosen One had been found, I needed to see for myself. And Luke, because of who you are, I imagine the Force wished to test you as well,” _ the Father explained. 

Anakin spluttered like he had just swallowed something vile. “The Chosen One is a myth!”

Luke looked between the two men, confused. “The… Chosen One?” He echoed, hoping for clarification. 

“What? You’ve  _ never _ heard of the Chosen One? And you say you’re a Jedi,” Anakin scoffed almost humorously. “It’s some great Jedi legend about someone meant to bring balance to the Force. Everyone thinks it’s supposed to be me, but if you want my opinion, it’s a bunch of poodoo so they can lay the blame on someone if things don’t go their way.” 

  
  


_ “Is it?” _ The Father asked with a smirk.  _ “ I should very much like to know. Why don't we find out together? Pass one test, and I shall know the truth. Then you and your friends may leave.” _ He finished, and both Anakin and Luke’s scowls deepened. Now their were going to be  _ tests? _ What right did this man have to kidnap his father and force him to undergo tests?

Luke was really starting to not trust this man. 

-

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan ran across the terrain, noticing in fascination as the dead foliage slowly lost their glow and returned to life, covered in leaves and flowers once more. 

“The longer we stay here, the stranger this place gets,” Ahsoka noted as they kept up the pace, allowing herself to think about the weird planet they found themselves on for a moment. 

“It appears the planet is renewing herself,” Obi-Wan replied, taking a second to observe the nature around them. Ahsoka was glad she wasn’t alone in this strange place, or perhaps she might have thought she was going insane. It made her heart ache for poor Anakin, stranded with the son of a Sith lord. She prayed to the Force he was alright. 

At the thought of her master, Ahsoka turned her head to look at Obi-Wan and ask the question that had been weighing on her mind. 

“What about Master Skywalker?”

Obi-Wan hummed thoughtfully, stroking his beard. “Anakin will not be easy to deceive, but we must not underestimate the Sith. There is no telling what else Luke has lied about, or what he’s capable of. So far he’s been able to shield his Force presence from us. We must be wary,” Obi-Wan warned, and Ahsoka’s heart filled with dread. 

There was an odd sound coming from behind them. The sound of… beating wings? Ahsoka frowned and turned to examine what was coming up on them, and barely suppressed a shriek at the sight of two massive beasts flying directly towards them. 

“Uh… Master Kenobi?” Ahsoka gasped out, and then he too turned around and saw them. 

The darker beast roared and set it’s gaze directly on her as the lighter beast made a pass at Obi-Wan. “Ahsoka, run!” Obi-Wan ordered, and run she did. She didn’t have to be told twice. 

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan ran hard and fast, but no matter what they did, there was no way to outrun those great beasts. Ahsoka shrieked as the dark one wrapped its claws around her arms, pulling her up into the sky with it. She tried to jerk her arms away, and when that didn’t work she tried to use the Force to set her free to no avail. The creatures seemed completely immune to the Force. 

Across from her, Obi-Wan grunted as the lighter beast grabbed ahold of him, tearing at his sleeves. He fought to pull free, but didn’t even manage to loosen the grip.

“Master, what do we do?!” Ahsoka called as the beast rose ever higher. 

“It’ll be alright, Ahsoka. We’ll get out of this,” Obi-Wan promised. “Somehow,” he muttered, and Ahsoka didn’t think that last bit had been meant for her ears. She gulped, swallowing her fear, and began to try and plot a way out of their newest predicament. 

It was certainly a long way down. 

-

Anakin and Luke were led outside to a large veranda overlooking the planet. The floor and walls behind them were both covered in strange patterns, but Luke didn’t have much time to examine them before the Father began to speak. 

_ “It is time to face your guilt and know the truth,” _ Father decreed, addressing Anakin. A roar coming from the sky pulled their gaze towards it, and Luke gasped when he saw two creatures carrying Ahsoka and Obi-Wan towards them. They landed gently, but it was clear they weren’t going to release either of the Jedi. 

“Whatever he wants, don't do it, Master!” Ahsoka shouted, trying to use her free arm to loosen the grip of the creature's claws. Her efforts proved fruitless. Directly across from them, Obi-Wan grunted as he tried to brute-force his way out of the hold on him. Luke had never seen the old man so frustrated, not even when he was facing down Vader. Luke looked on, unable to look away. 

“Let them go! I will not play your games,” Anakin ordered the Father, who looked amused by the suggestion, as if it was some sort of game to him. 

_ “Oh, but I think you will. I have ordered my children to kill your friends. The question is, which one will you choose to save: Your master or your apprentice? You must now release the guilt and free yourself by choosing.” _

Luke barely suppressed a scream as he suddenly found himself looking down on the scene from high above, beside the Father. 

“Let me down! I have to help him!” Luke shouted at the Father, desperate to return to Anakin’s side. He couldn’t let his father be forced to choose between his friends. 

“You will not interfere, young one. This is your father’s test, not yours,” the Father responded calmly, and Luke bit back a retort. He needed to stay calm and focus on finding a way down. 

Anakin refused to listen, letting lose a defiant roar of “No!”

Obi-Wan stopped struggling, looking up at Anakin resolutely. “Their powers are too strong for us, Anakin. Save Ahsoka,” he ordered.

“Let them go!” his father tried once again, as if he could free them by persistently demanding. Luke could see that the Father would not budge. 

“Only you can make my children release them,” the Father said in reply, echoing his earlier words.

“Anakin!” Luke called down from his perch above, and noted with some happiness that Anakin immediately turned his head up to look at him. “Anakin, don’t you sense it? This planet is of the Force. Use it, and save them both! I know you can,” he encourages, and his father nodded grimly before looking back at the creatures. 

_ “You will let them go!” _ Anakin roared, his voice taking on that thrum of power so similar to that of the Father and the Daughter. He raised both hands into the air, and with them rose the creatures holding Ahsoka and Obi-Wan captive.

Luke watched in fascination as the wind picked up, and the sky itself changed right before their eyes, rolling into night. The floor lit up beneath them, tracing patterns in gold light. The creatures cowered. 

Oh.

His father was  _ powerful _ . 

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka both dropped to the floor and ran towards the center, to Anakin. Luke leant over the edge, eager and desperate to watch as they unsheathed their blades and prepared to attack. 

When the creatures attempted to make a second grab at the Jedi, Anakin’s fury only grew.  _ “Down!” _ He growled, hurling them into the walls. Lightning flashed in the sky above them.  _ “On your knees!” _ Anakin ordered, forcing them to bow to them as their forms changed back to something resembling a human. 

After what he’d seen, Luke knew they were anything  _ but _ human. 

As nature returned to normal, The Father returned them both to the ground, and then he approached Anakin. Now that things had settled, however, Luke began to pick up on the suspicious glares Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were shooting his way.  _ Great, what have I done now? _ Luke wondered. 

_ “And now you see who you truly are. Only the chosen one could tame both my children,” _ the Father declared. This only served to upset Anakin more.

“I have taken your test. Now fulfill your promise and let us go,” his father threatened lowly. 

_ “Ah, but first you must understand the truth. Now all of you, leave us.” _

Luke kept his distance from all of them, wary of the looks he was being shot, so he didn’t hear the exchange between Anakin and Ahsoka, but it wasn’t long after they’d been dismissed that the Jedi confronted him. 

“When were you planning on telling us you were the son of a Sith lord?” Ahsoka spat as soon as they were out of the way. 

“Wh-what?” Luke spluttered. “How did you-?” He trailed off, feeling like his heart had jumped into his throat. How did they  _ know? _

“So it’s true, then?” Obi-Wan frowned, his hand going to rest on his lightsaber hilt. Luke swallowed at the sight, and tried to prepare a defense so he wouldn’t be killed.  _ This _ was exactly why he wasn’t telling people. Surely the son of Vader would end up with his head on the chopping block if the truth were to get out. 

“What’s true?” Anakin echoed, coming up behind them. 

Luke winced. The last thing he needed was Vader, well,  _ Anakin _ , himself at that moment, not when they were talking about him. “I suppose if you already know, well…” he stopped, unsure of how to continue. Anakin raised an expectant eyebrow at him and Ahsoka crossed her arms impatiently. 

“Yes, it’s true. My father  _ is _ a Sith.”

Whatever Anakin had thought they were talking about, it certainly hadn’t been that. Shock was written clearly all over his face. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if he was going to speak, but nothing came out. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, having already had a chance to come to terms with this, were not so stupefied unfortunately. 

“Why lie to us? Are you with him?” Obi-Wan questioned. 

_ “No!” _ Luke denied vehemently. “No, I would never join with him! He killed my master, my aunt and uncle, he froze my friend in carbonite, he chopped my  _ kriffing _ hand off! I’m not with him, and I never will be as long as he chooses the dark side. I’m trying to  _ save _ him.”

Ahsoka frowned. “Everyone knows you don’t come back from the dark side.”

“What?” Luke gasped. “No, no, that can’t be true! I’ve got to save him-!” He choked out, feeling his heart plummet. Had his vision been a lie? Why couldn’t his father come back? Surely they had to be lying! His father was still capable of love, he was  _ sure _ of it! Luke could barely breath as all these thoughts bombarded him. 

“Ahsoka,” Anakin scolded softly, then turned to him. “Luke, are you alright?”

Luke managed a nod before looking to Ben. “How did you figure all this out, anyway?” He asked weakly. 

“Ahsoka and I both had a vision of you fighting a man in a black suit where he revealed to you your true parentage. I believe we did indeed see him cut your hand off in it,” Ben explained. Luke frowned, recognizing the scene he’d been talking about. 

“If you saw all that, then why didn’t you see me reject his offer? I nearly killed myself trying to get away. You have to believe me!”

Anakin’s mouth opened and closed slowly before he finally spoke. “I… I do.”

Luke nearly sagged from relief. His  _ father _ believed him. That was all that mattered. 

“Master, he still lied to us!” Ahsoka cried, looking at Anakin in disbelief. Anakin shrugged, as if he couldn’t explain why exactly he felt the way he did.

“Ahsoka’s right, Anakin. Luke still lied about his father. He’s still a rogue Jedi. And, there are some rather…  _ disconcerting _ things I heard in the vision. Like, an empire, perhaps?” Obi-Wan looked at Luke expectantly. 

“Ah… about that…” Luke grimaced. 

“You can tell it to the council. We’re going to take you back with us,” Obi-Wan decided, and Luke’s jaw dropped. 

“No! I’ve got to get home. Please, people need me-!”

Before he could protest any further, Obi-Wan pressed his fingers to Luke’s temples, and the last thing he saw before he fell into a deep sleep was Anakin’s disappointed face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! leave a kudos or a comment if you enjoyed it!


	3. Darkness On The Horizon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin has a series of disturbing visions. Meanwhile, the Son gets his hands on Ahsoka and Luke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait on this one! i hope you enjoy :)

  
  


Anakin deftly caught Luke as the young boy collapsed, unconscious, and shot a glare at Obi-Wan. “Was that really necessary?” He snapped, scowling. 

“Anakin, he’s the son of a Sith lord! I was just trying to prevent any unnecessary violence. Has he given you any reason to trust him so far?” Obi-Wan replied, unperturbed by the unconscious body between them. 

Anakin huffed before replying. “No, he hasn’t,” he answered shortly, because it was the truth. But… there was something about that boy that he couldn’t quite pin down. It felt as if the Force itself had brought them together. Anakin didn’t mention this to Obi-Wan, though. 

Luke was lighter than he expected as Anakin carried him up the loading ramp of their shuttle. He seemed younger asleep as well. The lines in his face softened out, and he looked less tense. That was something Anakin had noticed about the boy through their brief encounters. He was contemplative, always lost in deep thought, and it made him look older than he really was. 

Now that he’d been presented with a chance to study Luke’s face, Anakin recognized a sort of… softness to it that he couldn’t quite place. 

Oh well. It didn’t matter. They’d bring him to the Council, just as Obi-Wan wanted, and then they’d be reassigned and would likely never see Luke again. That was the way these things always worked.

Anakin set Luke down on an empty bunk for the duration of the journey before finding one for himself. He was looking forward to getting some rest. It had been a relatively sleepless night the evening prior, what with the nightmare of his mother and interrogating the Father, and then there was the display of power he’d put on not long ago. It had been a long, strange day. It wasn’t long after he’d laid his head to rest that sleep overcame him. 

In his dream, Anakin found himself wandering the dark halls of an unfamiliar space station. Men in armor filed past him. He thought for a moment that they were clones, but the helmets were different, and their voices were not like that of the clones he was so used to. Who were these soldiers, exactly? As he continued to explore the space station, a whole squad of troopers walked right through him, and it was then that he knew he was dreaming. 

It wasn’t often that he dreamt, and when Anakin  _ did, _ it usually spelled trouble for him, his loved ones, or both. So, what did this dream mean? Was it a vision of a past long gone, or a warning of something that was to come? All Anakin could do now was keep going and see what the dream had to offer. 

A cold feeling washed over him, and in that moment Anakin knew that he was on the right path. He felt called to follow it by the Force, and so he carefully tried to reach out and see where he needed to go. He could not help but sense the dark side clinging to the station, practically choking it. 

Anakin stumbled suddenly when he felt the dark side reaching back, calling him.

He hastily caught himself, leaning on the wall for support as he attempted to catch his breath. The onslaught had caught him unawares, and it had been powerful, more powerful than any pull Anakin had ever experienced before. Why had the dark side called him so? What did it want? Anakin wasn’t sure he wanted those questions answered. He took another moment to steady himself before slowly standing up and resuming his trek. 

Not going to let himself be surprised like that again, Anakin immersed himself in the Force. He let it surround him, shelter him. He breathed it in, exhaled, and repeated the exercise. He wasn’t often able to achieve this sense of peace, but he could tell that the Force was assisting him, just this once. Now, with his senses open, Anakin could truly see the path the Force wanted him to take. He let it lead him, unconscious of the steps he made. 

At the end, Anakin found himself at the foot of a throne, unaware of how exactly he’d gotten there or how long it had taken. Behind the throne was a large wall of transparisteel and he could see a battle raging. One fleet, which reminded him of Seperatist battleships but were far too old and battered to actually belong to them, were clearly losing. The other fleet looked vaguely Republic and clearly had the upper hand. Beneath the battle sat a small green moon that he couldn’t immediately identify. 

A scream from behind him made Anakin whirl around suddenly, trying to spot it’s source. There on the mezzanine stood a tall, dark figure wearing a mask beside a shorter, hooded man. Lying in front of them was  _ Luke, _ shouting in pain as the hooded man hit him with a barrage of Sith lightning. 

“Luke?” Anakin gasped, his mouth opening and closing in shock. He ran over to the boy and tried to shove the Sith away from him, but he merely fell right through. Ah, right. He was dreaming. 

But was this a dream, or was it a vision? A vision of some past, or a future yet to come? He hoped it wasn’t a vision. Anakin had his own experiences with Sith lightning, and he would not wish it on a soul.

“Father, please!” Luke cried, jarring Anakin from his thoughts. Anakin scowled. One of these men was Luke’s  _ father? _ And he was letting this horrible torture continue? Anakin was so confused and angry at the thought that he didn’t even hear what the robed man said next. Before he could even begin to ponder it, however, the man wearing the dark suit lifted up the Sith like it was nothing even as the electricity coursed through his body and threw him down the ventilation shaft. 

The next thing Anakin became aware of was the man’s labored breathing, his suit obviously damaged by the lightning. Luke crawled over to him, and the tenderness with which he cradled the man’s body, Anakin knew that this was Luke’s father. But how? Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had said that Luke was the son of a Sith Lord, he supposed.

Then, Luke sat up and looked Anakin right in the eyes. The intensity in the gaze was unsettling. 

“Anakin,” Luke addressed him, still cradling his father’s body. “You have to stop this from happening.”

“I… I will,” Anakin stumbled, surprising himself with how quickly he answered. Why did he trust this boy? Why was he so eager to protect him?

“Thank you,” Luke smiled softly and Anakin could see the tears in his eyes. Then, Luke turned to look into his father’s mask. “We’re going to save you,” he whispered, and then everything began to fade away, until all that remained was the sound of the broken man's breath. 

_ “Anakin. Anakin. Anakin,” _ a cold voice whispered to him and suddenly scenery burst to life around him. Anakin was back on Mortis, surrounded by green and rocks. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, trying to decipher if he was still dreaming. 

Then, out of the mist rose…  _ himself? _ Anakin quickly rose to his feet as the man who looked exactly like him approached.

_ “It's true what they say. You are the chosen one,” _ the man said, and Anakin found himself smiling a little at the words. It helped to have it confirmed, to think that maybe he could live up to everyone’s expectations of him. 

_ “Join me,”  _ he crowed, and then began to grow taller, his features morphing into those of the Son. _ “Together we can change the balance of the universe, my friend.” _

“You must know I will never join the dark side willingly,” Anakin spat at the Son, taking a step away from him. The offer repulsed him. 

The Son shook his head, almost amused by his words.  _ “How simple you make it, light and dark...as if there is one without the other. Aligned, you and I can restore balance wherever we go, peace to the universe,” _ the Son explained as if he were talking to a young child instead of Anakin, clasping his hands together with a sickening smile on his face. 

“By becoming a Sith. Never!” Anakin refused, turning on his heel to walk away and ignore the man.

The Son was clearly not pleased with Anakin’s actions. He began to growl, throwing clenched fists into the air as fire sprung up from the earth and surrounded him. 

“We will destroy the Sith and the Jedi!” The Son roared, and then the flames exploded around him, changing him into the terrible beast that had taken Ahsoka hostage not even a few hours ago. Then, the Son sprung forward to attack him, and-

Anakin gasped as he bolted upright. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, willing the vision away. He didn’t even want to think about what that meant. Anakin just wanted to forget it and move on. 

“Were you having a nightmare?” Ahsoka asked, approached him as he slid his legs over the side of his makeshift bed. Anakin sighed.

“Something like that,” Anakin replied dismissively, not wanting to worry Ahsoka. Across from them both, Luke still slept, his chest rising and falling every few seconds. 

The ship hit a bout of turbulence and Anakin stumbled a little, almost falling onto Luke. He caught himself before he could, but found himself immobilized as he stared at Luke’s face, reminded of his dream. 

Why had Luke asked for  _ his _ help? And why had Anakin agreed so readily?

Luke reminded him of something else, too. Or rather, someone. There was something of Padme in his nose, and in the gentleness of his features, especially now that they were smoothed out in his sleep. 

“If you're done napping, I could use a little help here,” Obi-Wan called from the front of the ship, breaking him from his reverie. 

“Ben…” Luke sighed in his sleep, making Anakin freeze. When he showed no other signs of waking, Anakin continued on. 

“I'm coming,” he called. 

Someone grunted behind him, and Anakin spun around to see what was wrong. His breath caught in his throat.

The Son stood across from him, holding Ahsoka and a now very much awake Luke captive. 

“Leaving so soon? Not without these two, you won't,” The Son smirked as the floor beneath them opened. In an instant they were gone, Ahsoka’s and Luke’s cries drowned out by the roaring winds. 

“Ahsoka! Luke!” Anakin screamed uselessly. Then, filled with a new fury he returned to the cockpit.

“What's going on?” Obi-Wan asked, having sensed something wrong with Anakin. Anakin scowled and took the seat beside him. 

“The Son took Ahsoka and Luke,” Anakin explained hastily, not bothering to give any more details as he messed with the controls. 

“What in the blazes are you talking about?” Obi-Wan frowned, and Anakin snapped. 

“Move. Let me fly!” He ordered, finally taking control of the steering. Anakin veered through pillars of stone and clouds of fog, chasing the Son in desperation. 

The Son began to gain speed, and within moments he had vanished from his sight altogether. Anakin didn’t let this stop him, however, he just pressed the ship’s engine even harder. As they came through the fog, he spotted a giant glowing tower quickly approaching. 

“Look out!” Obi-Wan cried, retaking control of the ship and veering out of the path of the tower. Anakin grunted and wrested the control back into his hands, but it was too late. The damage had already been done.

The landed roughly, skidding to a dangerous halt. Obi-Wan lay across the dashboard, jolted by the impact. Anakin gripped his head, furious. 

“I... didn't think you saw it,” Obi-Wan tried for an explanation, quickly moving to exit the cockpit. Anakin sprung to his feet to follow the man. 

“It was a giant tower! Of  _ course _ I saw it,” Anakin snapped in return. Obi-Wan’s quick decisions that day were really starting to pile up disastrously, and Anakin didn’t like it one bit. First with Luke, and now with the ship…

“Any sign of him?” Anakin asked after stumbling down the ramp, which left him feeling off balance. Their crash landing had not been suited for deboarding.

Obi-Wan sighed, surveying the landscape before them. “No. But I think it's obvious where he's taken them,” he mused, looking right up at the glowing tower. 

“We must hurry,” Anakin decided, stepping forward to begin the trek. 

Obi-Wan rushed to stop him, moving in front of Anakin and placing his hands forcefully atop his shoulders. “Anakin, this wasn't a mistake. He brought us here for a reason. We must not get involved. Any conflict here could have dramatic repercussions for the universe at large,” he reasoned. 

“I don't care. He's too powerful for Ahsoka. I won't leave her alone,” Anakin defended. “And… and Luke too,” he tacked on hastily. “If he’s hurt because of all this, you’ll be responsible, seeing as you’re the one who kidnapped him in the first place!”

Obi-Wan frowned. “I’m sorry about that, but Luke is a danger too. We are in the middle of something we don't truly understand. We'd be wise to confer with the Father first.”

“There's no time,” Anakin told him in return.

“This is what he wants, to divide us!” 

“It's my fault he took them!” Anakin shouted, his guilt fueling his anger/ 

“You must feel how strong this part of the planet is with the dark side,” Obi-Wan warned. “The Father will know what to do.”

“He can't help us,” Anakin decided, staring determinedly at the tower. He would do whatever it took to get them back. 

-

Somewhere between learning that the truth about his father had been kept from him and getting imprisoned in a Force-induced sleep, Luke had decided he was no longer Ben Kenobi’s biggest fan. He didn’t exactly have much time to dwell on that, however, as his feet dangled over the open sky and he could be dropped to his death at any moment. 

Now with this, and dangling over Cloud City, Luke was starting to get used to deadly heights. 

Dangling beside him was Ahsoka Tano, his father’s padawan. He almost felt sorry for her as she continued to struggle against the grip on her. She grunted as she tried to wrench her arm from his claws.

“Aren’t you going to help?!” Ahsoka shouted over the wind when she finally noticed his lack of action.

“No!” Luke answered, shouting in order to be heard. “He’s obviously taking us somewhere! Wouldn’t you rather escape from there than to fall to your death here?”

That gave Ahsoka pause, as she actually began to consider the consequences. “I… I suppose you’re right. Sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Luke assured with a smile. He didn’t begrudge her actions. Luke had a few years of experience on the young togruta. He’d recently learned that sometimes the best thing you could do was wait patiently. Luke had been taught that lesson the hard way when he rushed in to save his friends from Darth Vader, and look how that had turned out for him. 

Not very well, that’s how. 

They weren’t made to wait long. The Son took them to the tower and chained them to the wall. Luke’s forehead creased with worry when he realized he couldn’t access the Force. He’d been planning to rely on it to help them escape. Well, he’d lived without it for nineteen years, and he could survive without now. 

“So… you wanna tell me anymore about why your father is a Sith?” Ahsoka asked once it was clear the Son wasn’t returning any time soon. “I didn’t think Sith liked children very much.”

“Well, he wasn’t always a Sith,” Luke shrugged and smiled softly, thinking of Anakin, the brave Jedi he’d briefly gotten to know. 

“That’s right. You said he was a Jedi, and that’s why this…  _ Ben _ trained you?” She replied with distaste. Luke almost laughed. If only she knew she was talking about Anakin and Obi-Wan. 

“He was, once.”

“Who  _ is _ your father? Is he the Sith lord every one is looking for?” Ahsoka pressed further. She was definitely a curious, fire-y girl. Leia would’ve liked her. 

“No, he’s not the one you’re looking for. And as for who he is… I don’t really know. I never knew him growing up and only learned that he was my father a few months ago,” Luke answered without really lying. It was true he didn’t know his father well, but he couldn’t exactly go spouting off that he was Anakin Skywalker. 

“You’re not with him, are you?” Ahsoka asked cautiously.

“No, never. I would never join the Sith. I want to save my father. The light is the only way,” Luke answered firmly. 

“Good. That’s… that’s good,” Ahsoka replied, and he could hear the smile in her voice. She was starting to warm up to him, he could tell. 

“Ahsoka?”

“Hmm?” She hummed absentmindedly. 

“I’m going to get us out of here. That’s a promise.”

They worked together for a long while, trying to break the chains that keep them suspended. They alternated between trying to access the Force and using brute strength to rip the cuffs from the wall, but nothing worked. 

“You cannot keep us here. You hear me?” Ahsoka shouted at nothing after they give up on their futile work. 

“Save your energy. You have been left to die,” an unknown voice croaked from the darkness. Luke stiffened, searching the room for the source of the words. 

A small alien creature slithered out of the darkness. Something about his sudden appearance had Luke feeling uneasy. 

“Then we will escape!” Ahsoka replied forcefully, seemingly unaware of the darkness surrounding the alien. 

“Impossible. I have been here for more years than I care to remember,” the alien said smoothly, approaching Ahsoka. The alien hadn’t even looked at Luke once. 

“I am a Jedi. We don't give up easily,” Ahsoka retorted in a matter of fact tone.

“Jedi? Huh. But so young. Where is your master?”

“He will come for me.” 

“And if he does not?” The alien drawled, clearly trying to antagonize her. 

“He will! He’ll come for both of us,” Ahsoka said proudly, and then threw Luke a little smile. It seemed he’d won her approval. Luke smiled in return. 

The little alien began to climb up the wall of their prison, pressing the release on Ahsoka’s chains. “What makes you so sure?” He continued, trying to get a rise out of her. 

“Thank you,” Ahsoka offered, rubbing her wrists to try and ease the pain. Luke’s own wrists throbbed, and he was eager to be able to put his arms down. 

“The chains? The chains are the easy part. It's what goes on in here that's hard. Don't you see, child? You are alone now. If you are to survive, you must forget your master.”

“Hey! Leave her alone,” Luke snapped, not liking the tone the alien was taking with Ahsoka. Something about this whole thing seemed  _ wrong.  _ The alien threw a glare at him over his shoulder and Luke’s eyes widened. 

“Here, Luke, let me,” Ahsoka offered, moving to release his own chains, but as she lifted her hand the little creature sprang at her. 

“Ow!” She cried, nursing the wrist that the alien had just bitten. Luke tried to move towards her and help but he was immobilized by the cuffs on his wrists. “What have you done?!” Ahsoka shouted, reeling on the alien.

“You are  _ mine _ now!” The creature growled, and Luke watched in horror as it shifted and then grew, morphing into the Son. 

They’d been played, Luke realized, and now he’d done something to Ahsoka. 

Ahsoka collapsed to the floor, her body growing stiff and her skin lost it’s color. Her veins darkened, as if poisoned, spreading across her body. She would look dead if not for the fact that her eyes sprung open, sporting a new yellow color. 

“...Ahsoka?”

The girl in question growled, springing to her feet and throwing herself at him. She held her hand high in the air and began to  _ squeeze.  _ Luke stood helpless, his hands restrained as she used the Fore to choke the air out of him. His feet kicked at the ground in vain. 

“Ah… Ahso...ka!” Luke coughed out, feeling himself go lightheaded. Ahsoka grinned and then the image of that began to go a little fuzzy. The edges of his vision blackened and Ahsoka only pressed her grip down harder to the point of crushing his throat. 

Just when he thought he was done for, the Son of all people came to his rescue. 

“Ah, ah, ah! Ahsoka, dear, let the boy go. We need him alive, after all,” the Son chided. Ahsoka paused before reluctantly letting him go. Luke sagged against the wall, gasping in breaths of air. It was impossible to ignore how much it hurt. He’d heard many stories about how fond Vader was of crushing windpipes. Luke had hoped he would never have to experience it. 

“Why  _ do _ we need him alive? Not so long ago he was claiming to be an avid supporter of the light,” Ahsoka asked the Son while glaring at Luke, never once looking away. 

“The boy is Anakin’s, of course. And what better way than to turn the father than to hurt the son?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all are not ready for whats going to happen when anakin finds out about luke... ohhh boy i am PUMPED i wish it would come sooner
> 
> UPDATE (06/17/20):
> 
> I’m so sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated. More chapters are coming! Please be patient. I promise it will be worth the wait.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been dying to return to the Star Wars universe for a long time now. With the return of the Clone Wars I finally found the motivation to do it! I'm very excited for you all to see how the story unfolds and what I have in store for our favorite Skywalker boys!
> 
> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments always appreciated :)


End file.
